


Heteronormativity

by Morgan_Molliniere



Category: The Invisible Man - H. G. Wells
Genre: Gen, Pre-Canon, Screenplay/Script Format, also college boys, weird conversations about relationships
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-17
Updated: 2019-06-17
Packaged: 2020-05-13 12:26:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,341
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19251175
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Morgan_Molliniere/pseuds/Morgan_Molliniere
Summary: Griffin thinks romance is appalling. Kemp is willing to have a discussion about it.





	Heteronormativity

**Author's Note:**

> Just a little thing I had made a while back. Kemp and Griffin may not have been very close college friends probably, but tell that to my muse. Also, this includes a certain headcanon I've got for The Invisible Man, which I may expound on later on.
> 
> I wonder what you guys think of it!
> 
> (also idk what to call that college Griffin and Kemp went to)

SCENE 01

EXT. COLLEGE GATES – DAY.

Within the campus of this college, there are many students walking around and chatting gaily. Yet our scene starts to focus on two young men sitting on a bench near the open gate, watching other students of the same college flirt with a few young women standing outside the gate.

One of the young men sitting on the bench, ARTHUR KEMP, is watching the young men with a blank look on his face. Meanwhile, the other student sitting next to him, JACK GRIFFIN, is frowning.

GRIFFIN  
Ugh. The view is just repulsive, don't you think?

Kemp doesn't look up at Griffin, but he humors him.

KEMP  
Could you elaborate on what you mean by that, Griffin?

GRIFFIN  
(gesturing to the men and women)  
There. I mean, look at them. Showing that they're trying to woo the women outside. They can't keep their flirtatiousness to themselves.

KEMP  
(resting his hand in his hands)  
And why are you so repulsed by that, might I ask?

Griffin looks at Kemp, a little unsure how to respond for a moment, before huffing and crossing his arms.

GRIFFIN  
Our fellow students are practically throwing themselves at those girls. It's just...bad to look at. (waves a hand) Public displays and all that.

KEMP  
(chuckling a little)  
If it bothers you so much, then don't look.

Griffin glares at Kemp. Finally, Kemp's eyes dart towards Griffin, and he straightens up in his seat.

KEMP  
Besides, surely you must understand the feeling of wanting to impress a lady your age. You're acting a bit like a child who has never experienced such a feeling before.

GRIFFIN  
(miffed)  
And what if I am? What's it to you? Did you try to impress women yourself?

KEMP  
(sighing)  
Point taken.

Kemp then looks away again, putting a hand to his chin.

KEMP  
(thoughtfully)  
I daresay the only time I had tried to talk to a woman my age was because of a dare my classmates made me do. I think I was...fourteen at the time?

GRIFFIN  
(unimpressed)  
And?

KEMP  
(glancing at Griffin)  
You're being a little callous. (looking away) But I'll continue. It went horribly. I was stuttering, and tripping all over myself. The girl saw right through me and called me strange, not endearingly. I was unable to face my classmates for a week.

Griffin raises an eyebrow as Kemp looks at him.

GRIFFIN  
Is that supposed to make me sympathize with you, Kemp?

KEMP  
Not really. It just means that now you should tell me about your own experiences with women.

GRIFFIN  
(defensive)  
Wh-what? Why should I?

KEMP  
Because it's what friends do. Share a few anecdotes with each other. Not everything has to be about our studies, you know.

GRIFFIN  
I think you're just trying to have me all figured out.

KEMP  
And what's so wrong with that?

Griffin flushes a little, and uncrosses his arms, placing his hands on his lap. He fixes his eyes on his lap for a moment, before scowling.

GRIFFIN  
You're just trying to play games with me.

KEMP  
I assure you, it's no fun trying to play games with a sore loser.

Griffin glances back at Kemp. He still looks unimpressed.

GRIFFIN  
You want to know so badly? Fine. (inhales) There is a girl I know.

KEMP  
(looking straight at Griffin)  
Go on.

GRIFFIN  
(looking away)  
This girl, I've known her since I was little. I didn't play with her very much, but I did read to her some books whenever we met. As you can guess, we grew up in the same village. Then my father sent me to boarding school, and we only saw each other on holidays.

He inhales, and then exhales.

GRIFFIN  
Now that I don't expect to be able to go home from London for even the holidays, I expect I'll be seeing even less of her. But she did mention in her letters once that her father is planning to get a house in the city.

He stops, and then looks at Kemp. The corner of his mouth is turned upwards.

KEMP  
It really sounds like you're in love with this lady.

GRIFFIN  
(defensive)  
Wha – no I'm not! What makes you think that?!

KEMP  
You still think about and receive letters from her. You must be some level of devoted to her.

GRIFFIN  
That doesn't mean anything! It wouldn't mean anything if she were a man, so why should it mean anything if she's a woman? We're just friends!

KEMP  
Still, you're now young adults. You must have had thoughts about becoming more than friends.

GRIFFIN  
Just because her father thinks so doesn't mean you should too!

He then points a finger at Kemp.

GRIFFIN  
And besides, I wouldn't expect you to be an expert on the matter. You said it yourself: you haven't spoken to a girl your age since you were fourteen!

KEMP  
(laughing nervously)  
Alright, alright, you've made your point.

GRIFFIN  
(huffing)  
Seriously, and you're the older one between us...

KEMP  
Well, to be completely honest, the reason why I've had so little interaction with the opposite sex is because...I've never felt like it.

He scratches the back of his neck, before continuing.

KEMP  
You're right, I really shouldn't be judging you. I've never looked at a woman hoping to be with her my whole life, or even just to make love to her. And if you haven't either, why should I be bothering you?

GRIFFIN  
(smiling a bit)  
Of course, now you see it. I haven't looked at my friend that way either, or any other woman for that matter. And I don't intend to.

KEMP  
(surprised)  
You don't intend to?

Griffin stops as he realizes what he just said, while Kemp leans in closer to him.

KEMP  
You don't...prefer the company of other men, do you?

GRIFFIN  
(blushing)  
Wh-wh-what about you? You just went on a whole spiel about how you've never been in love with a woman!

KEMP  
(taken aback, also blushing)  
That wasn't supposed to be taken that way!

GRIFFIN  
Then how was it supposed to be taken?

KEMP  
(waving his hands)  
I'm not going to answer that!

GRIFFIN  
Then I'm not going to answer your question either!

KEMP  
Fine!

GRIFFIN  
Fine!

The two of them stare at each other for a few seconds, before Kemp leans back, and looks away.

KEMP  
Sorry about that.

GRIFFIN  
Right. You should be.

KEMP  
But...you do what it would mean for you if you did prefer men...right?

GRIFFIN  
I'm no idiot, Kemp.

KEMP  
I'll take your word for it.

GRIFFIN  
Is that supposed to be a joke?

KEMP  
I'm not going to answer that either.

GRIFFIN  
Right.

He puts his hands together, still not taking his eyes off Kemp.

GRIFFIN  
What am I supposed to say, then? Am I supposed to say we're going to find the right woman someday?

KEMP  
Probably.

GRIFFIN  
Well, I don't see the point in it. I don't even want to think about setting my ambitions aside for some girl.

KEMP  
You really do sound like a child, you know that?

Griffin doesn't reply, and Kemp sighs.

KEMP  
Well, I'll grant you, we don't know when fate is going to gift us with a woman. Or if fate will gift us with a woman at all. So I guess we shouldn't worry about that for now. (chuckles) Though the two of us may be so abnormal, having never looked at a girl with romantic affections.

GRIFFIN  
(after a pause)  
Abnormal. Right.

The two of them sit in silence for a while, before Kemp turns his eyes back to the gate. The young men and woman have left the gate.

Meanwhile, Griffin takes a watch out of his pocket, and glances down at it for a bit, before putting it back.

GRIFFIN  
(getting up)  
Let's go. We're going to be late for the next class.

KEMP  
(nodding)  
Right.

Kemp gets up from his seat as well, and the two of them then leave the bench.

END SCENE.

 


End file.
